Greenwich liquor stores open for business Sunday

Toasting end of blue law: Residents make state's first Sunday alcohol purchases

David Hennessey

Updated
10:40 pm EDT, Sunday, May 20, 2012

Kristie Entwistle of Stratford walks out of Super Saver Spirits on Bridgeport Avenue in Shelton on Sunday, May 20, 2012, the first day of Sunday liquor sales in the state of Connecticut. Entwistle said she made her Sunday wine purchase for a spontaneous get together with her sister. less

Kristie Entwistle of Stratford walks out of Super Saver Spirits on Bridgeport Avenue in Shelton on Sunday, May 20, 2012, the first day of Sunday liquor sales in the state of Connecticut. Entwistle said she made ... more

Photo: Brian A. Pounds

Photo: Brian A. Pounds

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Kristie Entwistle of Stratford walks out of Super Saver Spirits on Bridgeport Avenue in Shelton on Sunday, May 20, 2012, the first day of Sunday liquor sales in the state of Connecticut. Entwistle said she made her Sunday wine purchase for a spontaneous get together with her sister. less

Kristie Entwistle of Stratford walks out of Super Saver Spirits on Bridgeport Avenue in Shelton on Sunday, May 20, 2012, the first day of Sunday liquor sales in the state of Connecticut. Entwistle said she made ... more

"I had no clue," Abbazia said of Sunday liquor sales in Connecticut, which Gov. Dannel P. Malloy signed into law Monday. "I think it's going to be perfect."

Smiling and clutching a brown bag filled with Redbridge gluten-free beer as he exited the 340 Palmer Hill Road store Sunday, Abbazia said he believes Sunday sales will be ideal for summer cookouts.

Having the option to buy alcohol on Sunday will also be ideal for people who run out of drinks, he said.

"I think everyone gets their Friday fix but doesn't necessarily know what the weekend is going to entail," he said.

The end to the state's blue laws, dating back to the first European settlers, means package stores and other retailers of alcohol, including groceries and supermarkets, can sell on Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and major holidays such as Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day. As of Sunday, only Indiana now prohibits Sunday retail sales of alcoholic beverages.

Mauricio Zapata, owner of LaBella's, was enthusiastic about the extra day of providing alcohol for customers.

"I'm never not going to open on Sundays," he said.

Zapata plans on opening at 11 a.m. Sundays and staying open to 5 p.m. -- the latest allowed by law.

Liquor stores are now permitted to open at 10 a.m. Sunday, but Zapata said he feels 11 a.m. is the right time to open for his customers.

"We've probably had about 30 people so far," Fiorita said at about 2:30 p.m. "We've had a lot of buzz (about Sunday liquor sales). About 60 percent of our customers came in yesterday and had a conversation about Sunday liquor sales."

Val's employee Leah Votto said the novelty of buying liquor on a Sunday factored into business.

Greenwich resident Joe Domingue and his girlfriend, Dawn Correa, of Gardiner, N.Y., were driving along the Post Road when they saw Val's was open.

"It's just weird," Domingue said. "It's Sunday."

But for Correa, who purchased a bottle of tequila, buying on a Sunday was nothing new -- New York state law already allows Sunday sales.

The owner of one Greenwich liquor store, who wished to remain anonymous, was not as enthusiastic about the new law as many of his counterparts.

By 1:30 p.m. Sunday, business was limited to "a few dribs and drabs," he said.

"I wouldn't even compare this to a slow day," he said. "No, it's not worth being here."

The store owner said he is going to remain open the next few Sundays and then make a decision on his store hours.

When asked what he would do instead on Sundays, he replied, "I'm going to go to the beach or go play golf."

Michael Berkoff, CEO of the Norwalk-based Bevmax Inc. said sales at stores in Stamford and Norwalk were slightly above expectations.

During the legislative session, the company contributed toward the lobbying effort to abolish the Sunday sales ban.

Next year, Berkoff said he hopes to renew efforts to eliminate per-bottle price requirements and regulations barring wholesalers granting retailers quantity-based discounts that could benefit a larger company such as his.

"It will probably take about six months because people have gone all these years with a ban on Sundays," Berkoff said. "It takes time but our volume for today was better than expected."

At Vic's Liquor at 951 High Ridge Road in Stamford, co-owner Mike Hamilton said cheaper prices for alcohol over the Massachusetts border could limit the estimated tax revenue state officials are hoping to gain from the extra day of sales.

Vic's was open between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Sunday. "I don't expect people to be shopping for alcohol at 10 a.m. on a Sunday," co-owner Al Hamilton said.

Similar customer responses were reported in other parts of the state. At Captain's Keg, next to the Stratford Stop & Shop, clerk Vincent Delvecchio said it almost seemed like a Saturday. A steady stream of customers came in and out. Some were surprised. Others came with questions.

"Some called first to make sure we were open. Some wanted to know, `I can buy liquor and beer and wine?'" said Bill Zukowski, 64, who was working behind the counter. "Customers have been pretty excited about it."

His first customer of the day was someone from out of state who just bought a house in Stratford.

"They have people coming over and were glad to find us open. I told them you picked the right day," Zukowski said.

For Jake Ninan, co-owner of Port Chester Beer, 315 N. Main St., Port Chester, Sunday was just another day of sales, but Ninan believes the Connecticut law will affect his business.

"Most of the customers we do get on Sunday are from Connecticut," he said, explaining that those customers will no longer need to travel to New York on Sunday to buy alcohol.

Ninan doesn't see the law as a hindrance, however; he said it will spur healthy competition between other local liquor stores and his, which offers nearly a thousand different beers.